The Healing Ring
by Beth027
Summary: A magical artifact lost long ago is now found. The ministry of magic decides there is only one thing to do.


A long time ago, there was a magnificent wizard named Gordocks. Gordocks experimented with many different types of magic. There is a myth about a particular magical object that he created. It was called the healing ring. The legend goes that any person who is dead can come back to life by placing the ring around their wrist and saying the special incantation that is inscribe on the ring. However, there is one setback. The ring may only be able to be used once, and then it will crumble into dust before burning up. Upon the death of Gordocks, the healing ring was not found. There has been great speculation as to where it could be, but nobody has discovered it's hiding place as of today...  
  
Professor Binns' voice droned on, but Harry Potter heard none of it. He couldn't keep his mind together. However, he was not alone. Hermione seemed to be the only student in the classroom who was paying attention and taking notes. Smoke seemed to be pouring off her page because of the speed and which she was writing. Most of the other students were off in their own worlds, passing notes, doing homework from other classes, or sleeping. But Harry wasn't paying attention for other reasons. The day happened to be October 31st, and while other students were anticipating the night's festivities, Harry could not get himself in the spirit of things. He kept thinking of that night fifteen years ago, when Harry's parents were murdered by Voldemort, taking away all who were dear to him.  
  
A bell ran, startling the sleeping students and signifying the end of class. After Binns assigned two rolls of parchment over the healing ring, Harry reached over and shook Ron's shoulder. Harry and Hermione grabbed their books, while a groggy Ron stretched.   
  
"Come on Ron, we haven't got all day," whined Hermione. "I want to get up to the common room and finish my homework so that I can enjoy the feast tonight!"  
  
The trio exited the room, and entered the throng of moving students in the hallway. The atmosphere was festive, and soon the three were swept away. Hermione and Ron walked in front of Harry arguing over some pointless matter. They were so engrossed, they didn't notice Harry tagging along after them gloomily until they reached the Fat Lady.  
  
"Harry, what's wrong?" Ron asked, a look of concern on his face. "Does your scar hurt or something?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, I'm just not in the mood to celebrate today is all." Ron looked confused, and at first Hermione did as well, but then her eyes went big as she figured out why Harry would not want to celebrate Halloween with all of the other students of Hogwarts.  
"Oh Harry! Why didn't you tell us? If you don't want to go tonight, Ron and I will stay with you."  
  
Ron turned to Hermione to question her on why Harry didn't want to go to the Great Hall, but before he could get anything out, she elbowed him in the stomach and said, "Harry, just so you know though, I'm pretty sure that your parents wouldn't want you to no celebrate. I mean it's not like you're celebrating their death or anything. Just Halloween. They would have wanted you to have some fun."  
  
Harry gave a small smile and Ron finally realized what was going on, but before either of them could say anything, the Fat Lady swung open, and out stepped Fred and George.   
  
"Harry old pal! Ron, Hermione, good to see you guys! Are you coming down for the feast now?"  
  
Both Ron and Hermione cast their eyes to Harry expectantly, waiting for him to answer Fred and George.  
  
"Yeah sure, just let us run up to the dorms to put our books and stuff away, and we'll be down in a little bit. We'll see you guys down there, okay?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey boss, I think I found something!"  
  
They were having a excavation dig looking for magical artifacts for the ministry of magic. The boss, John Bartles, walked over to where one of the men stood holding a ring of some kind. So far, the spot where they had chosen to dig proved to be a waste of time. Maybe this would make up for it. Bartles took the object from the man. It was encrusted in dirt, and seemed to be very old. To him it just seem to be a worthless metal ring. For some reason though, Bartles took it to the other side of the site where they had set up a restoration tent for all the objects they found.  
  
"Try to clean this up the best you guys can. It may look like nothing, but you never know. Just be careful with it, I sense a lot of magic around it."  
  
"We might have something," he thought. "I better go contact the ministry about this one."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were all sitting at the table discussing last nights spectacular performance of the Weird Sisters. Dumbledore had somehow managed to get them to come to Hogwarts yet again. The Weird Sisters were a very popular wizarding band, especially with younger wizards. As they were finishing up their breakfast, the swish of owls could be heard, and soon Hermione was delivered her copy of the Daily Prophet. She skimmed the front page for any signs of news, and nearly choked on her toast at what she saw. At her reaction, both boys were immediately at her side.  
  
On the front page was an article describing an excavation for magical artifacts that had been going on about 30 miles north of London. The article just talked about some healing ring that they had found. Both boys looked at each other and shrugged.   
  
"What are you getting so excited about Hermione?" Ron asked. "It's just an old piece of metal that they found that's been buried for hundreds of years. Big deal!"  
  
"Just some old piece of metal?!? Honestly, don't you guys ever pay attention in Professor Binns' class? (Ron snorts, and Hermione elbows him) We were just discussing it yesterday, and we have to write two rolls of parchment about it. Remember now?"  
  
"Sorry Hermione, can't say that I do. I do remember the assignment though. I have it written down somewhere," said Harry. "So what exactly is this healing ring?"  
  
  
  



End file.
